Help Me
by Angelinwaiting1
Summary: An old friend from Conner's past comes back to Reefside. Only problem is she needs help with something and is terrified to tell him. ConnerOC
1. Prologue

I was seven years old when I met Conner McKnight and his twin brother, Eric. I had just moved to Reefside, California. I remember it was just like yesterday. I had been lost after my mother and father had let me out of the house. They figured it was a nice sized town, I wouldn't get lost but low and behold I did.  
  
I was crying and sitting on a bench in the park. Two eight year old boys walked up to me, followed by their parents. One had a friendly smile while the other one seemed to be a little shyer. The friendly one asked me what was the matter. Why was I crying? It took about ten mintues to finish telling the tale of how I had gotten lost. The shy one sat beside me and told me everything would be ok, they'd take me home.  
  
The friendly one introduce himself as Eric and the other one was Conner. From then on Conner and I were nearly inseperable. It was kind of funny as he was a year old than me. We did everything together, from going to the movies with each others families to me going to his soccer games and him coming to watch my ballet recitals.  
  
My family lived there for six years and for those six years I had finally found someone that would be my friend and not make fun because of what I did for fun and what kind of music I listened to. Someone that would teach me to play soccer and someone that would try and help me with ballet.  
  
Then my parents decided to get divorced when I was thirteen. They spung the news on me the day of my thirteenth birthday. By now I had gotten used to how selfish the two of them were. Conner's mom came to pick me up when I called her and asked her to. I went to their house where I had cake and ice cream, something every year my parents "conviently" forgot about. And presents. But the special gift came from Conner, yeah later Eric made fun of him for it but to me it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever given me. A gold heartshaped locket, he helped me put it on and after that I never took it off.  
  
Later when I inspected it I discovered a picture of him in it. It was the only thing that helped me hold on to my insanity when the custody proccedings started. It was almost as good as having Conner right there with me. I would of called him dozens of times but one or both of my parents found out about me trying and told me in no certain terms was I to speak with him. He was bad and would drag me down with him.  
  
They didn't know what they were talking about. My mom finally got custody of me and she moved me back east. I hated it there and wanted to go home, while the only home that had seemed like home. Mom finally married a business man by the name of Lionel Richardson. I cried myself to sleep every night after that.  
  
And now for some odd reason after three years Mom decided move back to Reefside. I knew that there was a chance that I would see Conner again and I knew that he wouldn't be able to forgive me for leaving him like I did. Hell I didn't even know if I could forgive myself. I could only hope and pray that eventually he would. Because it was at this time that I needed him the most.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
I stood at my locker with my three best friends, Kira Ford, Trent Mercer, and Ethan James. I was still sore from the battle yesterday and I had this weird feeling that something was going to happen, something good and yet bad.  
  
A head of straight black hair caught my attention and my gaze whirled to the girl. She looked just like Natalia. I shook my head, Nat was gone and was never coming back. She had left him. The girl turned ever so slightly making me look at her legs, long and sleek encased in a pair of black jeans. My gaze traveled up and I saw her toying with a golden locket. Every move she made had her green shirt move about an inch or so, showing a glimpse of tanned skin.  
  
"Hello, Conner are you in there?" Kira asked running a hand in front of my face.  
  
I must of looked startled because she shook her head, "Where have you been lately Conner? Your mind isn't on the fight as it should, it isn't in soccer, nor is it in school."  
  
"I've just had a lot on my mind," I snapped at Kira.  
  
"Whoa someone woke up on the side of the bed," Ethan commented and started to add but a glare from me stopped him in his tracks.  
  
"Well if you ever want to talk about it," Kira started and the girl turned toward us. My books tumbled from my hands. The eyes were the same, smoky gray with long, thick eyelashes.  
  
"Nat," I whispered. It couldn't be, she had moved and without a word to me. She had deserted me, abandoned me.  
  
My gaze collided with hers and the shock in her eyes quickly gave way to pain and what looked to be regret. I took a shaky breath and turned back to the other three power rangers, "Lets go to class."  
  
I saw the look pass between Ethan, Kira and Trent. I knew that lately they had been worried about me and so had Dr. O. I shouldn't of even been fighting, but the 26 was coming up. The last day I had seen her, the day she had never told me good-bye.  
  
'Just great', I thought, 'She's back and there is nothing I can do about it.'  
  
"Conner," her voice was soft, "I need to talk to you. Please."  
  
I hadn't realized she had caught up with me, "I think we've said everything that needed to be said Natalia. Beside you don't really need to tell me anything now do you? You didn't three years so why start now?"  
  
"Because I owe you an explanation," Nat said quietly, "and I rather not give to you here."  
  
"Go back to where you came from Natalia. You don't owe me a damned thing and I don't want you to owe me anything. Your actions spoke louder than your words three years ago. You left, now don't expect me to welcome you back with open arms. Just leave me and alone and do what you like doing best. Leaving people."  
  
As I turned back to look at her, tears fell silently down her cheeks and she stood there dumbfounded. I instantly regretted my words but I kept walking, wanting to get away from her before I changed my mind, before I asked her to explain, and before she opened my heart again to something I didn't want to feel ever again. 


	2. Chapter 1

Natalia LeBeck watched him walk away. She had expected this kind of homecoming, at least with him. But it didn't matter, he didn't want to see her and she needed to see that he was doing alright.  
  
'Get real LeBeck,' she thought, 'he hates you now with a passion.'  
  
She turned toward an empty classroom and started toward it. She felt like she could beat her head against a wall. Trying to talk to him was like trying to move a brick wall. It always had been.  
  
A blonde haired boy stepped in her path, "Hi you must be new."  
  
"Yes I am. Please let me by," Nat said impatiently. She wasn't going to have time to reflect on anything now.  
  
"You're pretty. I'm Nathan. Why don't you come with me?"  
  
"No thank you. I really have to get to class," She moved to walk past him but he grabbed her arm, "Let me go."  
  
"Why would I want to do that?" Nathan asked tightening his grip.  
  
"Mr. Taylor. I believe you have class," a dark haired man said walking forward, "And I would suggest letting her go."  
  
"Sorry Dr. Oliver. I was trying to escort her to her next class," Nathan said forcing a smile. He released her arm and he saw Natalia give a involuntary shudder.  
  
"I'll find someone to take her to her class Nathan. But thank you anyways," The man identified as Dr. Oliver turned to Nat as Nathan walked away, "My science class is right over here. Let me go grab someone to help you."  
  
"No thank you sir," Natalia said looking at her feet and swallowing hard. It was the proper respect toward him. Thats what had been beat into her many times before, you never looked a man straight in the face unless you wanted to be punished.  
  
"I insist just wait right here," Dr. Oliver said disappearing into the classroom and a minute later returning with Conner. He didn't look happy at being recruited to do the job, and also by the looks of it he had become more outgoing. She could hear Dr. Oliver say, "Thanks Conner."  
  
When he disappeared into the classroom she wanted to call him back out. But she couldn't instead she would endure every hateful thing he'd have to tell her and she wouldn't cry. All her tears were used up by now and she was positive of it.  
  
He was frowning,, "What class do you have?"  
  
"English with Ms. Barnewell," she said softly and avoiding his face, "Conner please let me have a chance to tell you everything. Its not fair you not letting me tell my side of the story. I was hurt in the process too. I lost my best friend in the world."  
  
Conner heard her voice catch but his expression remained angry. He started walking quickly, "I was deserted by my best friend. And here she is having nerve enough to bring it back up. I want to forget all of the time we had together Natalia. I want to erase it from my memory that way I don't have to remember how we got along. I want everything about you gone from my head and sooner or later you'll leave and I know it."  
  
"You have every right to be upset. But let me tell you my story please because you have no idea," Nat said surprising herself for talking back, "I can find my own way thank you very much Conner."  
  
Conner latched his hand on to her arm and turned her toward him, "No I told Dr. O that I would show you to your class so I will."  
  
He watched her face pale and her breathing grow shallow. Something was up with her and he couldn't put his finger on it. She started thrashing her arm, "Let me go. Please let me go I'll do anything you ask."  
  
He released it, "What the hell is wrong with you?"  
  
"Nothing is," She replied looking at her feet again.  
  
"Look me and the face and tell me that," He demanded.  
  
"I have to get to class. Please let me get to it."  
  
"Of course. Its right here," He said pointing to the door to his right. He watched her disappear into the classroom.  
  
This wasn't the girl that had been his best friend for six years. The girl he knew had been hot tempered, sweet and the best ballerina he had ever seen. The girl he had just seen looked to be just as terrified of her own shadow as she had been of him.  
  
Slowly he made his way back to science thinking about how she had pleaded. How her eyes had went small when he grabbed her arm and how she refused to look him in the face.  
  
He entered the classroom and recieved a worried look from Kira's face which he returned with a smile and shrug. He took his seat and settled in for a very long day of learning and of seeing Nat.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
At the end of the school day, Natalia hurriedly stuffed her books into her backpack. If she wasn't home before Lionel was, then there would be hell to pay. She slowed down to pull her hair back and into a bun before she all but ran for the door.  
  
Nothing today had been going right. She had seen Conner, been late for most of her classes and had thrown up her lunch she had packed last night and now she was already ten minutes late home.  
  
She almost sighed in relief when she didn't see Lionel's car in the driveway but then she saw the garage door open and the red sports car sitting in it. She wanted to turn and run far, far away but it was like something was compelling her forward.  
  
As she entered the house a hand snaked around arm and jerked her forward, "Where the hell have you been? You are ten minutes late. What do you have to say for yourself?"  
  
"Lionel I... I'm sorry. One of my teachers asked me to stay after class to discuss something with her. It isn't my fault." Nat babbled but she knew what was coming.  
  
Lionel throw her into the wall and bent down eye level wit her, "What the hell did you talk about? You didn't tell it about this did you? You know what would happen if anyone found out about you? I'd kill your mother."  
  
"Leave her out of this," She cried subconciously playing with the locket. Her mother couldn't get hurt, especially if it was her fault.  
  
Lionel made a grab for the pendant, "Or maybe I'll just kill your little boyfriend. How would you like that? For the hell of it I'll kill them both."  
  
"Please leave him out of it. I won't tell anyone about this I promise. Just leave Conner out of it."  
  
He had enough of her whining and begging. The next half hour was filled with screams of agony and flesh hitting flesh. The last thing Natalia saw was blackness consuming her.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Conner kicked the soccer ball as hard as he could. He had tried eating dinner at home with his family and told them about Nat being back. His mother had taken it well while his father had all but blown up about that "trash" being back.  
  
He dragged his hand through his hair as he remembered the last game Nat had been at. When he had scored the winning goal she had jumped up, screamed, and ran out onto the field enveloping him into a big hug. He had laughed at her and kissed her forehead like he always did.  
  
He loved her anymore he'd openly admit it. Back then he was young and stupid, falling in love with his best friend and he hated that fact more than anything now. Everytime the phone rang he'd answered it hoping, praying that it would be her. For a year he did that but then it just hit him that she was never going to call and it hurt more than he could describe.  
  
"Lost in thoughts huh?" Trent said standing beside him.  
  
"Yeah. I don't know why though. It isn't anything important," He replied sitting on the grass and stretched acrossed the grass.  
  
"Who was that girl that you were trying to talk to today?"  
  
"An old friend. Thats all there is to it."  
  
"Is it? Conner she was crying after talking to you. Nathan got a hold of her."  
  
The shock of anger toward Nathan surprised him," Trust me Trent. Its nothing to worry about. Its not likely I'll become friends with her again. I have Kira, you and Ethan. Thats all I need."  
  
'Is it McKnight?' he asked himself. He knew the answer was no and didn't know how the hell he was going to get Nat off his mind and out of his heart for good. There was just something that needed to be done and hopefully it was soon. 


	3. Chapter 2

The next few weeks were pretty much the same for Nat. She was never late home again after that first day but Lionel still found ways to punish her. From not cooking the right foods to not wearing the right color green.

She kept trying to get Conner to talk to her and he kept blowing her off and insulting her, hurting her. The only thing that she clung to in the darkness that cloaked her was that eventually Conner would talk to her.

"Are you listening Natalia?" Dr. O asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped when the hand connected with her shoulder," Yes Dr. Oliver. I'm listening. Sorry if I was daydreaming."

"Its ok just try to look more awake."

'If only I could Dr. Oliver.' She thought as she started doodling on her notes page.

When the bell rang for the end of the day, Nat jumped and sent her papers and notebooks flying. She scrambled to pick them up.

As she dashed through the classroom door one of her notebooks was kicked into a corner forgotten. When she reached her locker she moved as fast as she could shoving stuff into her bag.

"Nat," Conner said locking his fingers around her wrist so her movements stopped.

She turned toward him, "Yes Conner?"

He waited a couple of heartbeats to see how she reacted to being touched and then continued, "I'm ready to listen. As much as I don't want to know, thats how much I have to know. Why don't I take you down to Hayley's Cyberspace and you can tell me."

"I can't," she replied softly, "I have to get home before... Tomorrow morning on the soccer field. Meet me there and I'll tell you."

"Ok if thats what you want. I'll see you in the morning." He turned and walked away.

Nat sighed and shuddered, nothing would feel better than to tell him the next day. Nothing.

=====================================================================

"Conner," Tommy said, "I just found a notebook in my classroom and I think you might want to take a look at it."

"What is it Dr. O?" Conner asked stepping into the classroom.

"Well Natalia dropped it. I think. I picked it up after she left. Before giving it back to her I thought maybe you'd like to read it."

"Why would I..," He trailed off when the notebook was pressed into his hand. The cover read Letters, "Yeah I would. Thanks Dr. O."

He walked to the soccer field and sat down and for a few minutes he just stared at it before opening it to a letter and reading:

Dear Conner,

Lord how I miss you. Mom and Dad are still fighting over who gets custody. I wish I could tell you about it. It seriously hurts that you aren't here and that I never told you good-bye.

I've picked up the phone a dozen or more times but each time I get caught and punished for it. Mom grounds me to my room with nothing but water all day. Dad just grounds me from TV and phone.

Having you as my best friend was the best thing in my life. I hate knowing that I hurt you. I hate knowing the fact that I love you and can't tell you. I have everything about my pathetic life. Then only thing I don't regret is knowing and loving you Conner. One day I hope you can forgive me.

Love Always,

Nat

Teardrops had smeared the words and he knew they weren't his, he simply whispered, "What the hell do I do now?"

He sat there and stared at the notebooks and never even noticed his own tears falling.

=====================================================================

The next morning Nat made sure she was as the soccer field early. She didn't care if Lionel beat her after he found out. Hell he already had when he found out about her talking to Conner. The names he called her as his fist repeatedly hit her and then later his foot.

As she paced she thought about what she sould tell Conner about the bruises that she couldn't cover up with make-up but she knew no matter what he'd probably see right through it.

She swore outloud and whirled around when Conner said, "Quite the mouth you have on you."

"I inheirted it from my mother. Remember?" She retorted.

"Why the soccer field?" He asked quietly.

"Right down to business as usual. You aren't the stupid jock you let everyone believe. The soccer field because its a balancing ground for both of us. We spent six years here or in a studio. Would you of rathered we met there?"

"No. Why did you leave?" Conner asked even though he knew all the answers. He had stayed up the night before reading the entire notebook twice.

Tears filled her eyes, "The divorce. The custody battle. They dragged it on forever. Dad fought so hard to keep me, even though he was a self-involved bastard, he wanted to keep me here for some odd reason. When Mom won it was because she planted evidence that he did drugs, so he lost. Mom got sole custody. The day before we moved from LA after we had moved from here six months earlier, Dad got into an accident and Mom didn't care. We moved as planned and I never went to the funeral Mom married a guy named Lionel Richardson six months ago and now after three years here I am."

He watched her nervously play with the gold locket, "Why did you keep the locket?"

She smiled bitterly, "Are you kidding? This is what helped me hold on to my sanity through everything."

"Where did the bruises come from Nat?"

"I fell down. Ran into a door and fell off my bike," She prayed he would believe it.

He looked at her skeptically, "Right. I gotta ask my history teacher a question on her homework. Here."

She took the notebook, "You read it didn't you?"

"Yeah. I know just about everything including the fact you quit writing in it about six months ago."

He turned to walk away and she rushed forward laying a hand on his forearm, "Conner I don't want to forget that the past three years haven't happened. I knew you would be mad at me, pissed is probably more the word, and I didn't expect for us to be like we used to. I do want to try and work toward a friendship again."

"We'll see Nat. We'll see." He walked away and into the school. He knew she had been lying about the bruises but she'd tell someone eventually and they would help her.


	4. Chapter 3

Natalia sat in a dark corner in the cafeteria with her back against the wall. To her it was a survival technique to others just someone who was antisocial. For her it was probably the next best thing, let them ignore her, not so much attention would be drawn to her then.

She sighed as she popped a raisin into her mouth. How she wished she could be normal. Normal friends, normal parents, normal everything. She envied everyone in the cafeteria. They had friends, siblings, and nice parents. They didn't have to be afraid to make them because their stepfather decided to use them as a punching bag.

A hand on her shoulder had her gasping in shock and stiffening. Lionel couldn't be there. He couldn't do anything in front of everyone.

"Easy Natalia," Conner said softly sitting down beside her. Kira, Ethan, and Trent sat down a crossed from them.

"Why are you sitting by me?" Nat found herself asking.

"Because we want to. Is that a crime?" Kira asked staring intently at Natalia. She was the one that Conner had always refused to talk about.

"No, its just I'm not used to people sitting by me and its really not the best idea in the world."

"And why would that be Nat?" Conner asked, he refused to let up on the subject, she'd try and get away from it but he wouldn't be deterred.

Because you might get hurt, McKnight, she thought but said, "People might get the wrong idea about you and your friends."

"As of six months ago. I really don't care what other people think about me," Conner retorted, "Now try and give me another excuse. They are kind of funny to hear."

"Conner," Kira scolded, "be nice to her. It might seem he's changed since the last time you saw him. I don't know what he was like when you met him but when I first met in detention he was a self-absorbed jerk who liked nothing more than soccer and pretty girls."

"Which would be why he hangs around with you?" Nat asked smirking at Conner, "She's nice Conner. You should keep her around."

"We aren't dating Nat," Conner said shaking his head at her, "We are just friends that met in detention."

"No offense, Kira? But why are you hanging out with him?"

"I'm truthfully not sure. Why'd you hang out with him when you were younger?"

"Because he was the one that made sure I didn't get lost here and there," Natalia said shrugging her shoulders, "I need to get going. I still have some homework to do and I need to use the library to finish it."

"On of these days Nat. I'm going to get tired of waiting for you to tell me whose hitting you and I'm going to push even harder," Conner said gently.

"And one of these days I'll probably tell you. But I don't want you hurt."


End file.
